Page 39 of Vapor's Blaze

“Yeah, it’s like that at most clubs. Would it be possible to visit with Jamus while the brothers are having their meeting?”

Cleo’s eyes jump to the bartender and then back to me. “That’s a really irregular request. I wouldn’t know where to take you to find those kinds of visitors.”

I choked on my beer and hit my chest several times. “Visitors. Is that what you call them?”

She just gives me a helpless shrug.

“Maybe you could text Siege and see what he wants to do about this situation,” The bartender suggests.

We both looked at the woman behind the counter with wide eyes.

Cleo responded tartly. “Are you for real right now, Mel? I can’t tell sometimes.”

“You better believe I am. I’m not getting in trouble for letting a Hound drink at our bar without alerting anyone. You might get a pass, but I’ll be out on my ass.”

Mel, the name rings a bell. Then I remember the bartender whose arm got broken when Tracker and the Hounds tried to trash the Legion’s bar in town—the woman he’s now got the hots for. I wonder if this is the same person? I’m guessing it probably is.

Mel’s eyes snap nervously up to Cleo and the other woman says, “You really think she’s with Hellfire Hounds? Siege would lose his mind if he knew one of them was inside the clubhouse wandering around.”

I hold up both hands defensively. “Whoa, I’m not a Hound and I’m not wandering around.”

Cleo pulls out her phone and her finger hovers over the button.

I whip out my phone and quickly texted Vapor that I was in the clubhouse bar. I know I came to talk to their club president, but now I’m starting to feel more anxious than bold. With any luck he might step out and back me up—that’s if he’s not mad at me for disobeying his orders to stay inside the motel room.

I swivel my chair around in the opposite direction and wait to see who comes through the door first.

Cleo frowns as she kept texting away with her husband. I’m guessing he’s telling her all about me.

Mel leans over and says quietly, “You don’t have to worry about the brothers here. They would never harm a woman.”

“Thank you for your concern,” I respond. The problem is this nice bartender didn’t know who my family is. I was pretty sure I’m risking my life coming here—though not from the Savage Legion, but from my grandfather once he finds out where I am. He killed my mom, so I don’t doubt he’d have any qualms about finishing me off.

My phone jingles. It’s a text from Vapor.

Sit tight. I’ll be right out.

Relief swamps my chest. I wasn’t alone here, he’s still willing to support me.

Cleo glances up from her phone. “You’re King’s granddaughter. Is that true?”

Mel’s eyes go as wide as saucers at that bit of news.

I nod. “I’m not in their club and as you well know we don’t get to pick the family we’re born into. Therefore, I’m not guilty of any of their crimes.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Cleo responds absently as she texts her husband again.

I take another drink of my draft and wait worriedly for Vapor to come to me. I feel vulnerable and out in the open at the bar. Anxiety slams through my stomach as I realize the delay probably means they are talking about what to do with me. Hopefully, Vapor is pleading my case. He knows I wanted to do this, we had discussed how things could be done. But as he isn’t an officer, he held no sway. I couldn’t wait around any longer while poor Jamus was in their holding cells. I just hope Vapor isn’t too angry with me for coming here.

Within a matter of minutes, Vapor comes through the door I’ve been watching. He looks annoyed.

“Siege wants you in the meeting. Follow me, I’ll show you the way.”

I follow behind him with my head down. This is probably not one of my better ideas. I should have found another way, sent an emissary to negotiate on my behalf, something other than this. When I step through the door and see a bunch of brothers all staring a hole through me, it slams home that this visit is not going as I had planned, not at all. As soon as the door shuts, Vapor takes me to the front of the room and pulls me up a chair beside his club officers, then makes to leave.

His club president states gruffly, “You can stay for this, Vapor. Pull up a chair.”

“What do you think you’re doing coming to the Savage Legion clubhouse?” The president asks.

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